Turntable



G. W. BOWEN f July 15, 1930.

TURNTABLE Filed Dec. l0, 1927 3- Sheets-Sheet l W. Bower Geovge m .M m, T T My G. W. BOWEN July l5, 1930.

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Patented July 15, 17930 rinse? Parenti ci'ieieal GEORGE W. BOWEN, .or AUBURN, NEWYORK TUNTABLE Applieatonfiled eceniloerr 10, 1927. Serial No'. 239,135.

This invention relates to a new and iinproved turn-table, particularly designed vfor use-for automobiles. Y

Hitherto' turn-tables of this character have been difficult to operatebe'cause of the fact that the means employed to keep the table centered have been such asto cause a considerable amount of friction with the resultant drag onV the operation of the table.

These tables are usually made to rotate on` the track an outside circumferential flange is usually provided at the edge of the track. The result of this construction is that the rollers willY bear against this iiange and be in frictional contacttherewithj The main obj ect of my invention is to provide a centering means for' thetable which will be positive in action and yet which will accomplish the desiredA result with the minimum amountfof friction and hindrance to the operationof the table. i

Another object is to provide a. simple turntable and one whichlcan be installed withv ease and which will have a considerably. longer operative life than tables now known to the art. y Other objects size, shape and arrangement of parts,`V yall as willl more fully appearfrom the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan View, partially lorokenaway, of my turn-table. i p

Figure 2 is a section on line 2 2 of Figure 5...

yFigure 3 tired. i v l Figure 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Figurel. f

Figure 5 is a' section on line 5 5 of Figurel. ,Y v

Figure 6 is a section similar toIfigure 5 showing a modified forni o f my centering der vice.l Y v Figureiis a sectionall View.siyinilai1 to Fig"- ure 6v showingaiiother modified form of my isa `section on line 3 3 of Figr device.

and advantages relate to; the

Figure v8 is a sectional'view through a portion vof the trackshowing a` lapped joint.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a booster plate used in connection with the rollers.

, Figure l0 is a perspective view ofthe booster vplate used at the center bearing.

My deviceconsists of a pit 1 made of appropriate material, but preferably cement.

rIhis pit 1 is circular in form andis countersunk into the ground or into the floor of a garage a su'liicient distance so that when turn-table Q is in position the upper` surface or floor 8 of turn-table Q will be slightly above the ground or the floor of the garage. v

. 4This pit 1 is preferably dished in shape witlrits lowest point at the eenter thereof so -that water getting into the pit will collect at the center from Where it can be carried oifby a drain 4 In the preferred form. of my pit I provide a trough 5 which is placed circumferentially around the floor of the pit in juXta-position to the outside periphery of track 6 hereinafter to be described.

Any moisture collecting' in trough 5 will be carried off through a` branch drain 24- leading into lmain drain 4.

l At the central portion of pit 1 I provide a--raised portion 7 iin the center ,of the top of which is positioned a lower bearingmember 8 having a recess Q in its upper surface for the reception of ball 1Q An upper bearing member 1l having a recess --l2 in its lower surface forr positioning on the top of ball l0 is circular in form and has on the upper surface thereof a plurality of radially extending V-shaped flanges E l3 which are adapted to receive the ends of stringers 14 A circular tra.ck. 6 preferably of steel and with lapped joints, 40 is positioned,

in thebottom o'fppit lt in spaced relation which pit 1 is constructed so as to lock track -6- permanently in position.

I rovide a plurality of stringers -14-, in t is case sixteen, which have one end placed on the upper surface of member 11 and which extend radially therefrom in spaced relation to a position adjacent to the outside wall -15- of pit 1, a circular plate -33- of the same diameter as member 11 being placed over the ends of all the stringere 14.- and being fastened to member --11- by means of bolts -43-, which bolts -43- pass through stringers -14 to fasten the same in position.

I provide a plurality of rollers -18-, one of which is secured to the bottom face of each Stringer -14, in such a position that it will register upon the track -6. These rollers -18. as may be seen vin Figure 4, are preferably of the usual type which car roller bearings7 and they consist of a y member 19-, a wheel -20-, a shaft 21- and the usual rollers 22M interposed between shaft 2land wheel Rollers 18 are secured to stringers w14- by means of bolts -23- or other convenient means.

To provide a floor surface for the turntable and to secure stringers i4- in fixed spaced relation I rovide floor boards Q5- which are secure by bolts 26- or othe convenient means to stringers -14-.

Y Floor boards Q5- are of suflicient length so that each one is secured Vto three of the stringere -14-. rAs will be seen from Figure 1 floor boards -25- are of such shapes and forms as to cover the Whole of the Vinside diameter of pit -1-. Floor boards are preferably spaced from eachother radially so that the water may drain between them into pit -1- and be carried off through drain -4-.

In order that turn-table -2-4 may be locked in osition, except when it is desired to `rotate t e same, I provide latches -27- on op osite sides of turn-table 2- and secure to the upper surface thereof by screws 2.8- or other convenient means, this latch f-27- consisting of a bottom plate -29- and a latch-member -30 pivoted thereon. Latch-member -30- is of sufficient length to extend outwardly over the top of the outside rim 15 of pit -1- and at a selected position on the upper face of pit 1, I provide a keeper -31 secured in the material of which pit -1- is constructed.

The `part of keeper -31- which extends above pit -1- is rounded in shape and Carries a notch -32- on its top surfacewhich notch`-32 is of a size and shape to receive the end of latch 3G- The outside edges of keeper 3l are flush with the 'upper surface of pit -'-1- so that when the turn-table -2- is being rotated and the latch B0- in its lowered posit-ion, the latch -30 when it strikes keeper -31- will ride upward thereon and drop into slot -32- to lock the turn-table -2- in position.

In Figure 6 I show a slight modification of my device in that instead of having a large upper bearing member 1lwhich is designed to receive the ends of stringers -14-, I provide a smaller upper bearing member 34- which is circular in shape and which has on its under surface a recess -35- for the reception of ball -10-.

On top of member B4- I provide a ci rcular plate 36- upon which rests the ends of stringers -14. A top plate 3T- of the same sizeand shape as plate -3('S- is positioned on top of stringers e1/land the plates $34- and -37- are then fastened together by means of bolts -38- which pass through stringers 14- upper plates -34- and -37- being also fastened to member -34- by means of bolts 39- which pass through plates \-34 and -37- and through stringers -14-.

The design of my device is such that when an automobile is in position on the turn-table and latches -30- in the open position. rollers 1S-will be held in position on track -6 because of the fact that the ball-bearing formed by members -7- and -11-l and ball-1(}- will prevent any radial movement of turn-table -2-.

At the same time members -7-, l1- and ball -10- will not oll'er any appreciable resistance to the rotation of turn-table 2- inasmuch as the Weight of the automobile will be applied to the upper surface of turntable 2- Aat t-he outer edges thereof and practically the whole load will be borne by rollers -18 and track -6, there being little if any, pressure on ball -10 so that it will be asked only to keep the turn-table 2- from radial movement.

In Figure 7 I illustrate a modified form of my device which is used when it is desired to have my turn-table adjustable with rela tion to the surrounding road-bed. In this form I provide a circular booster plate -41- wliich is interposed between the bearin member 341- and plate -36-. This ooster plate -41- is provided with holes -45 around itsperiphcry to permit the passage through it of bolts -39-. It also is provided with a centrally located hole -46- to permit the passage of eye bolt -44-. Eye 4bolt #-44- passes through a hole 48- in top plate 37 and through a hole -49- in plate -36- and thence through a hole 46- in booster plate 4land is threaded into top bearing member 34-. Booster plates 4Q- of the same thickness as booster late 4lare interposed between each o the rollers -18- and stringers -14, booster llil invase? plates -42-- being provided with spaced holes -47- to allow the passage of bolts -23-. It will be seen that when it is desired to change the relation of the upper surfaces of floor 3- to the surrounding roadbed that the whole apparatus may be lifted from position by Ameans of eye bolt 4A- and one or more sets of booster plates 4land -42- may be placed in the position just described to accomplish the required raising of the apparatus.-

Figure 7 also is used to illustrate the method of installation of my device when the contour of the road-bed in which it is to beinstalled requires that the device be positioned at an angle to the perpendicular. In this case the lower bearing member -8- is preferably positioned with the ball recess -35- so that its outside edges are in a horizontal position.

It will bev understood that the size and shape of recesses S5- and -12- are so proportioned, with reference to ball -10 that the apparatus will be held from lateral movement when installed inthis inclined position. The ability to install the apparatus on Y a grade is of a great advantage because very frequently the road-bed in which it is to be installed is on a grade which makes it difficult, if not impossible, to install the ordinary type of turn-table.

It will also be understood that metal may be used throughout instead of Awood if desired, and although I have shown and described a specific structure and form of part as illustrative of an embodiment of my invention, I do not desire to restrict myself to thatA exact shape, form or relation of parts, as various changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a device of the class described, a platform having a central spider with radially extending arms, radially extending supporting members attached to said spider arms,

each supporting member having a roller attached to the underside thereof in spaced relation to the spider, a circular track supporting the rollers, a depression in the bottom face of the spider for the reception of a ball, and constituting an upper bearing for the ball, a lower bearing for the ball, a ball in the bearing, and a floor attached to the upper surfaces of the supporting members to hold them in spaced relation.

2. In a device of the class described, a platform having a central spider with radially extending arms, radially extending supporting members attached to said spider arms, each supporting member having a roller attached to the underside thereof in spaced relation to the spider, a circular track supporting the rollers, a depression in the bottom face of the spider for the reception of a ball, and constituting an upper bearing for the ball, a lower bearing for the ball, a ball in the bearing7,fand.azf1oor. attachedfto `the upper surf'a-cesiof the `vsupporting'members to hold them in spaced' relatiom'the vupper surfacelof said oorfbeingLin a .plane disposed above. the planeof thee adjacentV road. bed.

' 3.v -rIn ai device of the class described, :a platform .ih'avin'g a central spider with radially extending arms, radiallyfextending supporting members' attached to.` said spider arms, each supporting :member having afroller attached to the undersidexthereof-,in spaced relation to the spider,"a circular track having lapped-joints?supporting the rollers, a depression'inthe bottom face of the spider for the recept-ion of a ball, and constituting an upperv bearingfor the ball, a lowery bearing for the ball, a ballinthe bearing, and afloor attached to the upper surfacesofthe supporting members to hold them in spaced'relation,the upper surface of said floor being in a plane disposedV above the plane of the adjacent road bed.

4. In a device ofthe class described,`aplat form having a central spider'with radially extending arms, radially extending supporting members attached to said spider arms, each supporting member having a roller attached tothe underside thereof in spaced relation to the spider, a circular track having lapped joints supporting the rollers, a depression in the bottom face of the spider for the reception of a ball, and constituting an upper bearing for the ball, a lower bearing for the ball, a ball in the bearing, and a floor attached to the upper surfaces of the supporting members to hold them in spaced relation, the upper surface of said floor being in a plane disposed above the plane of the adjacent road bed.

5. In a device of the class described, a platform having a centralspder with radially extending arms, radially extending supporting members attached to said spider arms, each supporting member having a roller attached to the underside thereof in spaced relation to the spider, a circular track supporting the rollers, a depression in the bottom'face of the spider for the reception .of a ball, and constituting` an upper bearing for the ball, a lower bearing for the ball, a ball in the bearing, and a floor attached to the upper surfaces of the supporting members to hold them in spaced relation, the upper bearing and the lower bearing for the ball both being of a size and shape to permit the installation of the device with the upper surface of the floor in aV plane other than normal to a vertical line drawn through the center of the ball.

6. In a device of the class described, a platform having a central plate, radially eX- tending supporting members attached to the upper side of said plate, each supporting member having a roller attached to the underside thereof in spaced relation to the censak trol'. plate, ia icircular track supporting the rollrlaldepression inthe bottom face of the cntral `plate for the reception of a ball,

and constituting an upper bearing for the ball, a lower. bearingA for the ball, a ball in tllilbqn ,1a Hoor attached tothe upper the: supporting members to 1d relation, andv means foringunning e vertical distance between.` the upperfsurfnce of the floor and the upper surfalen-orf the cirellar track. 'Altima device of; theI class described, a piiltform having a supporting plate, radially extending supporting members attached to said plate in spaced relation, each supporting'fmember having a roller attached to the underside thereof in spaced relation tothe plateyalcircular track supporting the rollers, a` depression in the bottom face of the plate for thereeeption .of a ball and constituting an* upper bearing for the ball, a lower bearing for the ball, a ball in the bearing, and

flooring attached to the upper surfaces of the `supporting members to hold them in spaced relation. l

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of November, 1927.

Y GEORGE W. BOWEN. 

